Service-learning in Crisis Communication Education: Revisiting Coombs' Objectives for the Crisis Communication Course

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to revisit Coombs' suggestions for teaching the crisis communication course using service-learning as a framework. The author sought to assess the effectiveness of using this method in terms of the benefits to both students and the partnering organization and students' perceptions of whether they met the learning outcomes for the course. The results of this study demonstrate that a semester-long service-learning assignment can enhance the practical application of course concepts and overcome the limitations identified by Coombs in his original proposal.